102 
Technical Education in Agriculture. 
pedient to take a share in the work of the farm, but at the same 
time they are men of capital. They belong to a class that may 
be materially benefited by the result of recent legislation, which 
has led to the allocation to each county ^ of. a sum of money, 
originally intended for other purposes, but now available for the 
promotion of technical education. 
Below this class we pass gradually into the large class of 
labourers. Perhaps there is no problem connected with rural 
education which occasions so much difficulty as that concerning 
the training of the labourer. It would be unnecessary to offer 
the labourer's child the same teclmical education as the son of 
the occupier of a large farm, for, possessing no capital, he does 
not need such education. But there are many points in which 
the education of the labourer's child might be materially im- 
proved, whilst the community itself would benefit thereby. 
Farm work is of such a nature that whoever has to get a liking 
for it must commence young. It is similar, in tliis respect, to 
seafaring. If a lad wishes to become a smart sailor it is futile 
to wait till he is 19 or 20 years of age before he first walks the 
deck ; he must commence early in life to take an active part in 
the work of a sailor. So with the farm labourer — he must begin 
young. 
Commencing at an early age, a boy contracts a liking for farm 
life, and becomes contented Avith it. Then arises the question : 
What can be added to this life to give it a greater interest? 
As a rule, directly the farm labourer has finished his day's work, 
he has no resource at all. Would it not be possible so to interest 
and instruct the children of farm labourers as to make them 
more useful ? It seems that it would, and, indeed, at little 
expense, by means of a system of instruction carried into the 
heart of the rural districts. This education must be taken* to 
the people ; it must be made available in the villages. As an 
example, there can hardly be a doubt that by means of evening 
classes an instructor would succeed in interesting boys in the 
details of machinery. The teacher could, upon a black board, 
demonstrate such details, and he might borrow ploughs and 
other implements and take them to pieces so as to show the 
various parts,- and explain the mechanical principles involved — 
"The Anatomy of the Plougli" would form a capital subject for 
a lecture. Commencing thus, the boys would speedily become 
interested, and the interest would grow as the teacher led them 
' For details see : " Statement as to the distribution of Beer and Spirit Duties 
proposed to be appropriated in aid of Local Taxation, in addition to the 
amount proposed to be paid in aid of Police Superannuation Funds — Epgland 
and Wales." [C. 6113.]— Eyre & Spottiswoode. )d. 
